The world is at a critical inflection point as climate change, economic pressures and geopolitical issues threaten the sustainability of our future. Creating a more resilient world requires collaboration, and AB InBev will be joining in many of the critical conversations taking place between public and private sectors this week at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
Beer is an engine of social and economic development. As the world’s leading brewer, AB InBev is uniquely positioned to be part of the change needed to build a more inclusive and resilient future. Every day we connect with billions of consumers, and work with more than six million small- and medium-sized businesses who sell our products and thousands of farmers who grow the ingredients to brew our beers. One in every 110 jobs globally are connected to the beer sector.
Read on to learn about a few of the partnerships AB InBev leaders will be talking about on the WEF stage to inspire greater action and impact, and how collaboration is essential to our purpose of creating a future with more cheers.
Collaborating with innovators to scale sustainable ideas
Sustainable solutions to challenging problems require new thinking. Our ambitious sustainability goals can only be accomplished by collaborating with passionate entrepreneurs, innovators, engineers, investors and scientists who are also working to solve some of the world's most pressing challenges.
We prioritize innovation that can be scaled. Our 100+ Accelerator program funds and pilots sustainable innovation and has worked with
more than 100 startups in over 30 countries since launching in 2018. To make
an even bigger impact, The Coca-Cola Company, Colgate-Palmolive and Unilever
joined as partners to help support and co-fund the effort. Together, we are
making progress on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and advancing water stewardship, smart agriculture, circular
packaging and climate action.
In November, the 100+ Accelerator welcomed a record-number of start-ups to its fourth cohort.
Collaborating with farmers to support resilient food systems
One of the most urgent sustainability challenges is the climate crisis, which has increased the fragility of global food systems. Thriving agri-food systems support both the crops needed to brew our beers and those needed to feed our communities.
We are investing in agricultural initiatives and collaborating closely with local farmers. By providing technology and agronomic support, and promoting regenerative practices, we are helping them improve soil health resilience and productivity for not only barley, but other food crops grown in rotation, which strengthens local food systems.
Collaborating with business owners to boost entrepreneurship
Around the world, small- and medium-sized businesses, which are vital to sustaining thriving communities, are struggling to succeed in an increasingly digital world due to a lack of skills and resources. To help, AB InBev offers many training and mentorship programs for business owners, like Empresarias Modelo in Mexico and a partnership with retail chain TiendasYa! in Bolivia. In Colombia, Emprendedoras Bavaria, provides women retailers with mentorship, e-learning modules, financial access and assistance, digital training and productivity tools to help improve their operations.
“Although my business goes through difficult times, I know we can overcome them,” says retail owner and ‘ Emprendedoras Bavaria ' participant, Fatima Maria Munevar Mejia.
Collaborating to encourage the responsible consumption of alcohol
We want every experience with beer to be a positive one. A big part of that are our industry-leading efforts to provide consumers with more choices for moderation and promoting responsible consumption – what we call Smart Drinking.
Cross-sector partnerships play a big role in our Smart Drinking efforts, from the development of ‘social norms’ marketing campaigns, where we tap into the emotional connections people have with our brands to help influence positive behaviors and reduce harmful drinking, to the development of evidence-based programs to address drunk driving and innovative interventions that help prevent sales to minors, reduce binge drinking and identify those at risk of harmful consumption. In 2022, we renewed our public-private partnership with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and will soon begin co-developing new initiatives to help change behaviors towards responsible drinking.
Moving forward, together
As a global local business, we play a key role in investing in and scaling sustainable innovation, and we know we can’t do it alone. Working alongside partners across various industries and sectors, we can help address the shared challenges that threaten our future and make an even greater positive impact.
